From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: Price Has Been Paid Date: Sat, 6 Aug 2005 09:15:40 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C59A67.6E3679A0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C59A67.6E3679A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID By Clinton White In the Bible in the second book of Kings, chapter 5, we read about = Naaman who was the captain of the Syrian army. He was a mighty man of = war, a prestigious man . . . but he had leprosy. He learned that there = was a prophet called Elisha in Israel who ministered in the power of = God. So Naaman came to see Elisha to receive a healing, bringing with = him great wealth. He had his mules loaded with 750 pounds of silver, 150 = pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. Elisha told him to dip himself = seven times in the Jordan River and he would be healed; and after some = difficulty with the matter of obedience, Naaman finally did it and he = was healed of his leprosy. Naaman was so amazed, delighted and filled with joy. He went back to = Elisha and he said, "Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the = earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy = servant" (verse 15). And Naaman offered Elisha the treasures he had = brought. But Elisha said, "As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I = will receive none" (verse 16). Then Naaman urged him to take it, but = Elisha refused. In essence Elisha was saying, "Naaman, there is no price = for what you received. You're used to paying your way in this world, = you're used to buying what you want; but you can't buy the gifts of God. = God is bigger than you are, Captain. God has more than you have. He = doesn't need anything you've got. God did this for you because He loves = you and because He is big and gracious." And so Naaman went on his way rejoicing, probably thinking, "There's no = price for such a marvelous gift! No physician on the face of this earth = could have healed my leprosy. I would've given everything I possessed to = be healed of this leprosy, and yet this God of Israel has done it for = nothing. What a marvelous and great God!"=20 If you are a Christian, didn't you feel that way when you were born = again? You said, "Why did He choose me? Why did this sunlight come into = my heart? Why were my sins taken away? I feel so marvelous and = wonderful. What a beautiful God we have!" Well Naaman went on his way back to Syria with those mules loaded with = gold, silver and clothing. But the Prophet Elisha's servant, Gehazi, had = been listening to the conversation that his master had with Naaman; and = the wheels began to turn in Gehazi's head. He thought, "My master should = not have let this Naaman get away without accepting his gifts. As surely = as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him." So Gehazi began to go as fast as he could to catch up with Naaman. = Naaman turned around and there was this man running after him calling = out, "Wait, wait!" And when Gehazi finally caught up with him, he = delivered the message that, yes, there was a price after all. Gehazi = lied and said: "My master has sent me to tell you that two young = prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would = like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them." = Naaman insisted that he take 150 pounds of silver and two sets of = clothing. When Gehazi got home he kept what he had done a secret from = Elisha and hid the gifts inside the house; but Elisha knew what he had = done and he said to his servant, "Because you have done this, you and = your children and your children's children will suffer from Naaman's = leprosy forever." Many of you have experienced this same thing. You received a free gift = from God. The leprosy of your heart was cleansed. Your sins were = forgiven. God did something for you that no human being on earth could = accomplish. And it was free! God said, "There's no charge for it; take = it." And you went on your way rejoicing saying, "Hallelujah." But then = along came somebody on the horizon of your life. You turned around and = there was someone right there who said, "Wait! Just a minute! There is a = price to pay. You've got to live by these rules and regulations. You've = got to keep these precepts and ordinances. There is a price to pay!" God = gave you a free gift. He healed your heart, your soul, your life. You = went away saying, "Hallelujah" and then along came that man (or woman). = I don't know if he came over the radio or television or from behind a = pulpit, but there he came saying, "Wait! There is a price to pay!" Paul the apostle was a teacher sent from God. What did he have to say = about the price? "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that = through this man (speaking of Christ) is preached unto you the = forgiveness of sins: And by Him all that believe are justified from all = things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware = therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; = Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your = days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it = unto you" (Acts 13:38-41). What was the work that they would not believe? The fact that Christ, the = Messiah, would purchase redemption for mankind on the cross, and that = they could enter into the presence of God without paying any price = whatsoever. But the "despisers" wouldn't believe that. Why? Because = human nature says, "We must earn, we must pay, we must struggle. We must = meet the obligations." We have a magnanimous God who wants to give a = gift and we in our pride say, "No, I'll scratch out the price; I'll pay = it somehow." We want to keep the rules, laws and regulations. The = "Gehazis" say, "There is a price to pay." If a "Gehazi" comes into your life saying, "Wait! There is a price to = pay!": "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made = you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" = (Gal.5:1). Say, "The price has been paid!" ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C59A67.6E3679A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

THE PRICE HAS BEEN = PAID

By Clinton White

In the Bible in the second = book of Kings,=20 chapter 5, we read about Naaman who was the captain of the Syrian army. = He was a=20 mighty man of war, a prestigious man . . . but he had leprosy. He = learned that=20 there was a prophet called Elisha in Israel who ministered in the power = of God.=20 So Naaman came to see Elisha to receive a healing, bringing with him = great=20 wealth. He had his mules loaded with 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of = gold,=20 and ten sets of clothing. Elisha told him to dip himself seven times in = the=20 Jordan River and he would be healed; and after some difficulty with the = matter=20 of obedience, Naaman finally did it and he was healed of his = leprosy.

Naaman was so amazed, = delighted and=20 filled with joy. He went back to Elisha and he said, "Behold, now I = know that=20 there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray = thee,=20 take a blessing of thy servant" (verse 15). And Naaman offered = Elisha the=20 treasures he had brought. But Elisha said, "As the Lord liveth, = before whom I=20 stand, I will receive none" (verse 16). Then Naaman urged him to = take it,=20 but Elisha refused. In essence Elisha was saying, "Naaman, there is no = price for=20 what you received. You’re used to paying your way in this world, = you’re used to=20 buying what you want; but you can’t buy the gifts of God. God is = bigger than you=20 are, Captain. God has more than you have. He doesn’t need anything = you’ve got.=20 God did this for you because He loves you and because He is big and=20 gracious."

And so Naaman went on his way = rejoicing,=20 probably thinking, "There’s no price for such a marvelous gift! No = physician on=20 the face of this earth could have healed my leprosy. I would’ve = given everything=20 I possessed to be healed of this leprosy, and yet this God of Israel has = done it=20 for nothing. What a marvelous and great God!"

If you are a Christian, = didn’t you feel=20 that way when you were born again? You said, "Why did He choose me? Why = did this=20 sunlight come into my heart? Why were my sins taken away? I feel so = marvelous=20 and wonderful. What a beautiful God we have!"

Well Naaman went on his way = back to Syria=20 with those mules loaded with gold, silver and clothing. But the Prophet = Elisha’s=20 servant, Gehazi, had been listening to the conversation that his master = had with=20 Naaman; and the wheels began to turn in Gehazi’s head. He thought, = "My master=20 should not have let this Naaman get away without accepting his gifts. As = surely=20 as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from=20 him."

So Gehazi began to go as fast = as he could=20 to catch up with Naaman. Naaman turned around and there was this man = running=20 after him calling out, "Wait, wait!" And when Gehazi finally caught up = with him,=20 he delivered the message that, yes, there was a price after all. Gehazi = lied and=20 said: "My master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from = the hill=20 country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of silver = and two=20 sets of clothing to give to them." Naaman insisted that he take 150 = pounds of=20 silver and two sets of clothing. When Gehazi got home he kept what he = had done a=20 secret from Elisha and hid the gifts inside the house; but Elisha knew = what he=20 had done and he said to his servant, "Because you have done this, you = and your=20 children and your children’s children will suffer from = Naaman’s leprosy=20 forever."

Many of you have experienced = this same=20 thing. You received a free gift from God. The leprosy of your heart was=20 cleansed. Your sins were forgiven. God did something for you that no = human being=20 on earth could accomplish. And it was free! God said, "There’s no = charge for it;=20 take it." And you went on your way rejoicing saying, "Hallelujah." But = then=20 along came somebody on the horizon of your life. You turned around and = there was=20 someone right there who said, "Wait! Just a minute! There is a price to = pay.=20 You’ve got to live by these rules and regulations. You’ve = got to keep these=20 precepts and ordinances. There is a price to pay!" God gave you a free = gift. He=20 healed your heart, your soul, your life. You went away saying, = "Hallelujah" and=20 then along came that man (or woman). I don’t know if he came over = the radio or=20 television or from behind a pulpit, but there he came saying, "Wait! = There is a=20 price to pay!"

Paul the apostle was a = teacher sent from=20 God. What did he have to say about the price? "Be it known unto you=20 therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (speaking of = Christ)=20 is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by Him all that = believe are=20 justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the = law of=20 Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in = the=20 prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a = work in=20 your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man = declare it=20 unto you" (Acts 13:38-41).

What was the work that they = would not=20 believe? The fact that Christ, the Messiah, would purchase redemption = for=20 mankind on the cross, and that they could enter into the presence of God = without=20 paying any price whatsoever. But the "despisers" wouldn’t = believe that.=20 Why? Because human nature says, "We must earn, we must pay, we must = struggle. We=20 must meet the obligations." We have a magnanimous God who wants to give = a gift=20 and we in our pride say, "No, I’ll scratch out the price; = I’ll pay it somehow."=20 We want to keep the rules, laws and regulations. The "Gehazis" say, = "There is a=20 price to pay."

If a "Gehazi" comes into your = life=20 saying, "Wait! There is a price to pay!": "Stand fast therefore in = the=20 liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not entangled again = with the=20 yoke of bondage" (Gal.5:1). Say, "The price has been=20 paid!"

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